Being Loved for the First Time Chapter 29

Chapter 7. Already a Little Sister, Already a Big Brother

After my sister and Mikhail managed to reconcile, my parents invited Mikhail to dinner that evening.

“Eat plenty, Mikhail.”

“Thank you for inviting me to dinner. I’ll enjoy the meal.”

Mikhail greeted them politely, though he seemed slightly hesitant.

It wasn’t particularly obvious, especially for a six-year-old child.

However, my parents didn’t bring up what had happened that day with either Mikhail or my sister.

‘I don’t think we need to lecture either of them. They seem to have made up properly on their own.’

‘Will that really be all right, my lady?’

‘I believe so. Children need time that’s just for themselves too.’

Mother had watched the entire process of my sister and Mikhail arguing and reconciling.

She thought it would be better not to interfere when they’d managed to resolve the matter themselves.

‘Besides, we’re Laurencia’s parents. Darling, you’re feeling a little disappointed with Mikhail too, aren’t you?’

‘Th-that’s…’

‘Exactly. Of course, if it had turned into a serious fight, we would have needed to intervene. But with something like this, our job is simply to watch over them.’

When I secretly overheard my parents’ conversation, I couldn’t help admiring them all over again.

‘They really are wonderful adults.’

And to think these people were my parents.

I’d encountered remarkably few people who actually fulfilled the role of adults so well.

‘They remind me of my master from a very long time ago.’

Although we hadn’t spent a particularly long time together, there had been one person I could truly call my master.

Someone who was strict when necessary, but who also knew when to comfort and embrace me.

‘Remember this and swear to me, my foolish disciple. Promise that you won’t walk into the flames alone.’

Those had been my master’s final words.

Although I hadn’t made that promise, much less kept it.

For some reason, my chest ached faintly.

It was because of what had happened to my master that I’d resolved not to form attachments to anyone precious again.

Whenever I gave someone even a little of my heart, they either betrayed me or died young.

‘This time will be all right. There haven’t even been any warning signs yet.’

I felt slightly uneasy, but I’d already decided not to do something as foolish as worrying in advance until I could no longer do anything at all.

‘All I have to do is work hard and protect them.’

I’d strengthened the barrier even further so that bastard couldn’t play any more tricks.

In any case, thanks to my parents’ consideration, Mikhail had looked around somewhat cautiously at the beginning of dinner, but by now he appeared perfectly comfortable.

‘Inviting him to dinner was practically their way of telling him everything was all right.’

That was why they’d deliberately arranged an invitation that hadn’t originally been planned.

Of course, Mikhail Leventis had always been shameless by nature, so he wasn’t the kind of child who would become discouraged over something like this.

Just look at him now.

“Mikhail’s sitting next to Shasha again…”

He’d confidently claimed the seat beside me.

Mother gently stroked my grumbling sister’s hair and spoke softly.

“Usually, our Laurencia is the one who sits beside the youngest, isn’t she? Our Lara is such a good girl. You even know how to share.”

At Mother’s words, my sister’s face instantly brightened, and she rubbed her head against Mother’s arm.

“Uh-huh! Lara’s the big sister, so Lara’s a wonderful big sister!”

“That’s right. Then shall our Laurencia sit beside Anastasia at breakfast tomorrow?”

“Yes!”

My sister’s eyes, which had briefly become sulky, were now sparkling brightly again.

Well, Mother’s kind words probably helped.

‘But it’s also because she got to sit next to Mother instead of me.’

The only person at the dinner table who had anything to feel miserable about was Father.

“Let’s enjoy our meal comfortably for once. It seems Damian and Mikhail will take care of feeding our youngest.”

“Yes… That’s true.”

If we’d been eating as a family without Mikhail present, Father would undoubtedly have voiced his disappointment at least a couple more times.

‘But it’s a shame to miss the chance to feed our youngest, my lady.’

He looked as though those words might burst out of his mouth at any moment.

Nevertheless, Father kept his lips firmly closed.

Although Mother spoke pleasantly, her eyes were clearly telling him, ‘Please don’t behave exactly like the children.’

Thanks to that, I was experiencing both extremes during this dinner.

“Our Anastasia, are you having trouble picking that up? Brother will help you.”

Even while eating his own meal, Brother Damian habitually kept an eye on how I was doing.

I’d heard that he’d helped my sister eat when she was younger too.

My brother naturally and skillfully assisted me whenever I needed help.

I was already quite accustomed to receiving his help.

“Baby, do you want to eat this?”

The problem was Mikhail Leventis.

If he’d stopped there, everything would have been fine.

But apparently, whenever Brother did something, Mikhail wanted to imitate him.

He kept trying to help me somehow…

“No, Anastasia can’t eat pieces that big yet.”

“But she has teeth now?”

“She only has a few.”

He kept putting things I couldn’t eat onto my plate, almost as though he were deliberately teasing me.

Huge pieces of steak covered in sauce, or side dishes containing jalapeños.

The flavors were far too strong for my tongue.

And because I knew how delicious those things could be, it was even more torturous…

“Anastasia is still a baby. She might cry if she eats something like that.”

“…Really?”

He genuinely didn’t know, so I couldn’t even scold him.

“I’m sorry, baby.”

Once again, Mikhail Leventis apologized without resistance.

‘And here I was, cursing him inwardly…’

Now I felt guilty.

Despite his outward appearance, he smiled so readily around me and was always remarkably honest.

“So will you forgive me?”

Faced with his radiant smile, all I could do was let out a soft sigh.

Whenever I’m with him, I feel like such a petty person.

Before I knew it, the weather had grown cooler, and October had arrived.

I was now entering my sixteenth month of life.

There were many events in October.

The harvest thanksgiving festival was held around the middle of the month, and October 28th was my older brother Damian’s birthday.

Moreover, at the end of October, there seemed to be a festival similar to Halloween in this world.

‘Apparently, a very long time ago, a god sealed away a great demon and brought light back into the world, or something like that.’

In any case, the mansion had been terribly busy preparing for various events since the beginning of October.

At times like these, the best way for children to help was to play nicely without causing trouble.

Since the little argument a month earlier, Mikhail had stopped calling my sister “Princess.”

Just as she’d requested, he addressed her by name.

Of course, calling her “Lara” seemed too awkward for him, so “Laurencia” was as far as he could manage.

Since my parents also tended to use her actual name rather than her nickname, my generous sister accepted that much.

However…

‘Why am I the only one he still doesn’t call by name?’

Of course, it wasn’t as though I desperately wanted Mikhail to call me by my name.

Absolutely not.

Still…

‘Then why did he look at me like that back then…?’

He’d looked at me as though he were wondering whether I disliked being called the youngest princess too.

Somehow, I felt like I was the only one being left out.

“Sigh.”

“Baby, is something bothering you?”

Yes. You.

No, what am I saying? Bothering me?

It wasn’t as though I was genuinely troubled by it.

“Nothing.”

“Nothing? Your expression looked pretty gloomy for someone who says nothing’s wrong.”

My expression hardly changes in the first place.

Watching Mikhail sit down beside me as though that were his rightful place, I let out another sigh.

He chuckled softly.

“Do you really dislike having me beside you that much?”

“Annoying.”

Mikhail rested his arms and head on one raised knee and gazed at me with a pleased smile.

I just told you that you’re annoying, you know.

“But at least you don’t say you dislike me anymore.”

No, why is that something to be happy about?

You’re making me feel guilty again…

When I stared at him with a blank expression, Mikhail burst into laughter once more.

“And you don’t tell me to go away either. Are you finally starting to think about becoming my little sister?”

“No.”

The answer slipped out reflexively.

It had become a habit…

“Still no?”

Ah…

As Mikhail spoke, I felt something heavy drop into a corner of my heart.

Why doesn’t he even look disappointed?

No, shouldn’t he at least be a little hurt by my answer?

‘Is he shameless, or is he simply too good-natured?’

He’s still a child, so why…?

Ever since the incident a month ago, I’d stopped telling Mikhail to go away or saying that I disliked him.

It had made me realize something important.

‘Why, why do you keep asking her to play when Shasha says she doesn’t like you?!’

The moment the words I’d habitually thrown at Mikhail out of irritation became weapons in my sister’s mouth, I’d realized just how wrong I’d been.

‘Just because someone looks like they’re fine doesn’t mean they really are.’

I should have known that better than anyone.

I’d lived for so long feeling lonely, without a single person on my side.

Yet I’d spoken far too carelessly to Mikhail, who was nothing more than a little child.

And the moment I realized that, I experienced another strange sense of discomfort.

‘Why do I behave so much more like a child around him, of all people…?’

I found myself getting unnecessarily upset over trivial things.

Even after my sister and brother had resolved matters with him, I continued feeling strangely bothered.

It wasn’t like me at all.

It’s not as though I’ve actually become a sixteen-month-old baby on the inside.

‘He’s treated me kindly from the very beginning.’

And he wasn’t even family.

I realized I’d been too harsh toward a child who was simply trying to be kind because he wanted a younger sibling.

‘…Perhaps it’s because of that strange familiarity I felt when we first met.’

The feeling that I’d encountered him somewhere, a very long time ago.

“You’re making that serious face again.”

Mikhail murmured as he carefully played with a few strands of my hair.

“If you told me what was bothering you, I’d listen really carefully.”

Seeing the anticipation in his expression, I gazed at him for a moment before sighing inwardly this time.

This fellow was far too perceptive when it came to me.

Was that why?

‘Maybe I’m afraid that when I really need to hide something, I won’t be able to hide it from him.’

But that was still at least ten years away…

I allowed Mikhail to continue playing with my hair and pushed the thought aside.

“Play.”

“You want to play? Really?”

To think such a small thing could make this child so excited.

Yes. Rather than worrying, I should simply treat him a little more kindly now to make up for how unfairly I’d treated him.

That would be much better.

So I nodded and took Mikhail’s hand.

“What should we play?”

The six-year-old boy couldn’t hide his joy as he swung our joined hands back and forth.